Is it over already? I can hardly believe it! The third and final phase of this year’s JAZDA project cycle took place in Friedland and Göttingen at the start of July. We’ve had a week full of energy, a sense of community and creativity.
Once again, young adults living in Germany, France and Poland came together for a seminar on the history(ies) of migration. The programme included language activities, museum visits, workshops, city walks, a visit to the FriedlandGarten and meetings with eyewitnesses. The group spent their free time singing, dancing and playing games. The participants already knew each other from the first two phases of the project, so they had a good foundation for learning together.
photos: Museum Friedland/Katharina Dubno
This week focused on text (in the form of language or photographs) as a creative tool. In light of all our experiences to date, the key question was: What does it take to create welcoming spaces in a society of migration? How can we ourselves contribute to this? The answers to these questions were, and remain, varied. Some of these, along with artworks from all three phases of the project, are on display in the exhibition “Imagine Welcoming Spaces”, which the participants opened in the foyer of the Friedland Museum. It was at this moment, if not before, that it became clear: welcoming spaces are created through human interaction – and that is precisely what sets JAZDA apart.
photos: Museum Friedland/Katharina Dubno
„Efímero”
by Nora Euwens
I recently learned a word from a friend I got to know here in the Jazda project, it is “efímero”. It is the feeling of a moment passing with knowing it’s never gonna be repeated like that again.
This feeling caught me off guard yesterday when I walked into our seminar room. Everyone was so busy, hushing around like little butterflies at work. Buzzing full of energy and excitement for the exhibition today. Uplifting music, colourful papers, coffee…
So I am sitting at the window trying to take it all in, because this group, this community means so much.
People from everywhere, connected by a common motivation: to learn, to live, to think critically, to get creative, to exchange, to laugh, to play, to build, to love. What connection people find here feel like a ray of hope in a world that more and more seems drifting apart. To see these connections grow is something so precious and beautiful, it’s hard to put into words.
You can notice it in the little gestures: A hand massage during gatherings, a clap wave that is suddenly formed out of boredom because everyone is so attentive and open around each other. An “are you okay?” when someone is looking tired and a helping hand wherever you could possibly need one.
Every single person has something to offer, their own individual speciality. Our reality, our safe place and still with the urge to take in as much as possible from everywhere and anyone. Like I said, it’s hard to express how much it means participating in JAZDA. The one that haven’t, you’ll have to find out yourselves…
Every time I have come back, I was surprised by the exceptional dynamic we have and how powerful we can be as a group.
I invite you all to think back to this from time to time and let yourself remember these feelings of such pure human connection, safety, unquestionable acceptance, comfort and so much warmth.
I want to keep this moment and many others we’ve shaped. Because aren’t exactly these moments of shared excitement and humanity what life is all about?
JAZDA, thank you all so much. I will never forget this. I love y’all, je t’aime, kocham cie.
